Tips, Tricks and Tools for Teen Aspie

Post Reply New Topic

My 15 yr old son has Aspergers and has always had some mobility issues. He does not ride a bike, swim, play sports or do many things that require dexterity. As of late, he has expressed an interest in changing his appearance (read: clothes). This is wonderful news for us, but we have encountered a challenge. He has decided to wear hightop running shoes. In the past, we have used U-Laces for his shoes (not hightops) which are a great self-tying sort of gadget that make slipping them on and off easy. No need for him to tie them.....which he cannot do no matter how hard he tries.
My question is.......do any parents/guardians out there have any suggestions for either a trick for tying shoes that is easier than the usual way or know of a product similar to U-Laces that are not so......juvenile?

Thanks

My husband requested Hickies recently.

We used bungee laces sold specifically for tri-athletes for a while.

But don't give up on the shoe tying. My son volunteered at a daycare towards the end of middle school, and one day a child ask for help tying his shoe. My son didn't want to disappoint the child and somehow just did it. He was SO proud of himself that day. He's never gone back. His method is weird, but it works for him. I wish he was around (he's on a year of study abroad) so he could explain it.

Of course, these moment can't exactly be chosen. They just happen.

Don't give up on the bike riding, either. My son had trouble with it but now lives on his bike.

I'm 30 years old and have never mastered how to ride a bike. Don't plan to anytime either. I can drive a car or ride a horse.

I have a 10-year-old with ADHD who STILL cannot tie his shoes. He starts, remembers that he can't, gets all upset, and that's the end of that.

Hickies, or bungee laces, or simply very loosely-tied, slightly too-big shoes (so that feet can be shoe-horned in, even with high-tops) work wonders.